Greater New Orleans

Authors recall Hurricane Katrina in ways young readers will appreciate

Jewell Parker Rhodes, known for her American Book Award-winning novel "Douglass' Women" -- as well as her popular three-volume voodoo series set in New Orleans -- has turned her hand to writing a novel for younger readers. 'Ninth Ward, ' by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Little, Brown and Company, $15.99, ages 10 and older) is a powerfully evocative novel, which brings the days just before and during Hurricane Katrina vividly to life.

"Ninth Ward" by Jewell Parker Rhodes.

Twelve-year-old Lanesha lives with Mama Ya-Ya, the 82-year-old healer and midwife who adopted her at birth after her mother died. Their home is in the 9th Ward, and their life together is rich and content, but both are considered outsiders by the locals: Lanesha was born with a caul and can see ghosts --including her mother's -- and Mama Ya-Ya's healing powers are considered suspect.

Lanesha is a passionate student who loves words and the logic of math, and memorizes Shakespeare for fun, but four days before Hurricane Katrina, her school closes as people prepare for the storm and evacuate the city.

Mama Ya-Ya has no car or money to speak of, so the two feel they have no choice but to ride out the storm at home. Mama Ya-Ya is seeing signs that a catastrophe is approaching, more than a usual hurricane, and she begins to fail.

As their roles gradually shift, Lanesha cooks, gathers supplies, and boards up the house. Later when the storm hits and the terrifying flood arrives, Lanesha discovers her true strength through taking care of Mama Ya-Ya and her friend, TaShon and his dog, Spot. She consciously uses her math training, saying to herself things such as, "Everything is math" and "Solve the problem" to stay focused. The ending is poignant, but Lanesha takes solace in friendship and a newfound independence.

For local readers, there is one small misstep in the story: Lanesha thinks that the floodwater is from the Mississippi River, and the author does not ever refer to the fact that the water came from Lake Pontchartrain.

However, the power and charm of "Ninth Ward" far outweigh any factual glitches. Filled with atmosphere and magical realism, the story is poetic yet realistic, both heart wrenching and heart-warming. In this coming-of-age tale set during Hurricane Katrina, all of the cultural quirkiness and powers of New Orleans come to bear in the young girl's life. The author will appear at Octavia Books on Sept. 27.

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'Riding Out the Hurricane, ' by Maeve McMahon (A Little Book Company, Dublin, Ireland, $10, ages 10 and older) has much in common with "Ninth Ward"-- here is another 12-year-old girl living in the 9th Ward with an older woman during the period just before, during and after Katrina. However, just as each of us has a distinctive Katrina story, these two books with similar characters and settings play out quite differently.

Jade Williams lives in a shotgun double with her grandmother, who has worked at Zack's Seafood Restaurant for 35 years. Their next-door neighbor, Mary Lou, is 82 years old and takes care of Jade when her grandmother works late. Jade (like Lanesha) never knew her father or her mother, who died when she was born. But her life with her grandmother is good, and Jade loves school and has a best friend named Natasha.

What makes "Riding Out the Hurricane" special, certainly for people who went through the storm, is the author's attention to detail. Starting with Jade and Grandma's trip to Wal-Mart to buy supplies two days before the storm and then to the storm itself and their harrowing rooftop rescue from the flood (along with Mary Lou and a dog named Bunty), it all rings true. Then as the ordeal of evacuation unfolds, first in the Convention Center downtown, then in the Astrodome in Houston, then in a rented apartment near Baton Rouge, and finally in a FEMA trailer, it accurately reflects the saga of so many displaced New Orleanians. Although it's a story we recognize, the author has shaped it in such a way and created such endearing characters in Jade, Grandma, Mary Lou and Bunty that it feels fresh and compelling.

There is an inspirational spiritual aspect to this story, as well. While not religious in any literal way, the characters repeatedly give themselves over to God's hands, particularly when things are most dire. Grandma has a refrain that keeps them strong as well: "Where one goes, the three of us go." The ending of the story is bittersweet, but Jade has grown so much during the ordeal that she has the strength to handle whatever life throws her way. This is a tale not soon to be forgotten.

The author, Maeve McMahon, taught in New Orleans for 27 years and evacuated right before the storm. She spent the following months working in evacuation centers, gathering firsthand stories for the book that she eventually wrote. Her book is published in Ireland, but is available at local bookstores. McMahon, who now lives in her native Ireland, will make book appearances in New Orleans in October.

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'A Place Where Hurricanes Happen, ' written by Renee Watson, illustrated by Shadra Strickland (Random House, $17.99, ages 6 and older) is a gentle, picture-book version of the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina.

The story features four best friends who live on the same block in New Orleans, each of whom's family makes a different decision as Katrina approaches. One family goes to the Superdome, one drives to Houston, one goes to Baton Rouge, and another stays home. While the aftermath of the storm is told truthfully, it is presented in a way that younger children can understand--and there is a happy ending when the four friends are reunited after many months. The illustrator did a fine job of capturing the particular style of New Orleans architecture.